Fierce
by crochetaway
Summary: Hermione Weasley muses on the fierceness of Ginny Weasley. Then she makes a decision that will change her entire life. One-Shot. Drabble Prompt. Complete.


**A/N: My beta gave me a drabble prompt: pocket, horse, snow, Minnesota, Ginny Weasley, blue. Here's what came of it. Thanks to brownlark42 for the prompt and the beta services! She's the best.**

 **Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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Hermione Granger had always thought that Ginny Weasley was fierce. Sure, as a child, Ginny had been kind of shy. The way she had fawned over Harry was both adorable and utterly embarrassing for everyone to witness. But the minute Ginny had hit puberty, she had shaken off her shyness, and her fierceness had shown through. Even now, having divorced Harry, being a single mum of three kids, Ginny was incredible to watch.

Hermione didn't blame Ginny for divorcing Harry. Something had happened to Harry over the last few years. Hermione was sure he was suffering from PTSD from his time during the war and as an Auror afterward. Hermione and Ginny both had begged and pleaded with him to get help, as all of the Weasley's had. And yet he hadn't. So Ginny did what she had to do. Ginny always did what she had to do. She was a survivor.

Hermione looked over at the combined Weasley family partaking of a Sunday dinner at The Burrow, she was in awe of how well Ginny looked being only two months post divorce. Despite the snow, they had the dinner out of doors in a tent blanketed with heating charms. Harry and Ron were the only ones missing. Harry for obvious reasons - he wasn't really welcome at the Weasley's, not since the divorce. Ron was absent for less obvious reasons. He was ostensibly away with Harry for the weekend. Begging and pleading for him to get help. Or, at least, that's what Hermione had told the family. He was really at a cabin in the American state of Minnesota with Lavender Finnigan. Hermione and Seamus both knew what their spouses were up to. And neither had worked up the courage to leave the other yet.

It was weekends like this that were the hardest for Hermione. Ron was gone, the Hogwarts kids were at school, which included Hermione's own, Rose and Hugo. And here she sat, pretending to be happy for the Weasley clan. As the sun began to set and the sky turned to a darkened blue, Hermione made a decision. She was a Gryffindor, she was a Weasley (even if only by marriage), and she could be just as fierce as Ginny Weasley. Hermione caught Ginny's eye on the way out of The Burrow, and Ginny seemed to know what she was about. She gave Hermione a nod and an encouraging smile. Hermione was going to the White Horse tonight, the pub Seamus owned, to speak with him.

Stepping into the White Horse later that evening was a relief. The snow had started coming down harder and the temperature was dropping bitterly. She pulled her wand from her pocket and dried her cloak before hanging it on a peg by the door. Hermione sat at the bar and waited for Seamus to finish his conversation and notice her.

"Hermione!" Seamus said with a large smile. "It's good to see you, lass!"

"Hello Seamus," Hermione replied, returning his smile. Despite the reason she was here, it was good to see her classmate again.

"What brings you by? And on a Sunday night no less?" Seamus asked as he pulled a tankard down and began filling it with the house mead for her. Seamus and Hermione had met up a few times since figuring out what their spouses were up to and he knew her fondness for mead.

"I think we should talk," Hermione said with a sad smile. They had agreed they would talk first if either of them were ready to get out of their marriages. Seamus nodded and waved another bartender forward. He escorted Hermione upstairs to a private room. This time of the year, the inn portion of the White Horse was hardly full.

"You giving up?" Seamus asked as he sat on the bed and patted the spot next to him.

Hermione nodded. She set her mug on the nightstand and sat next to Seamus. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Hermione sniffled a bit. When was the last time Ron had provided such simple comfort to her?

"You deserve to be happy, Hermione," Seamus said quietly as he wrapped his other arm around her and Hermione turned her face into his chest, no longer holding back the sobs. Only Seamus knew how she was feeling. When her sobs had quieted she looked up at him.

"You do too, you know," Hermione said with a small smile. Seamus returned the smile and gave a tight nod.

He ran a hand through his hair, "The problem is that the lass that would make me happy is in a complicated situation."

"Lavender?" Hermione guessed. Seamus huffed a low laugh and shook his head.

"No, I've given up on her. Just haven't left her yet. What were we thinking? Marrying people like Ron and Lavender?" he asked her.

Hermione slowly shook her head, she had no idea. Ron had seemed so perfect after the war. Everything was shiny and new, and then it all fell apart.

"Who is it?" Hermione asked. She couldn't imagine still being married to Ron and falling for somebody else.

Seamus gave her another sad smile. Then he cupped her cheek and then pressed his lips to hers. Hermione felt lightening shoot through her. She and Ron hadn't been intimate in years. She began moving her lips and returning Seamus' kiss.

He broke away when she let out a low moan, "Hermione," he groaned as he stared into her eyes.

"Are we decided then?" Hermione asked. Seamus nodded and then leaned in for another kiss.


End file.
